Electric can opener with power pierce means



Oct. 11, 1966 R. E. M LEAN ELECTRIC CAN OPENER WITH POWER PIERCE MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1964 1 N VE N TOR fake/ 7 E. M04 em? Oct. 11, 1966 R. E. MCLEAN 3,277,570

ELECTRIC CAN OPENER WITH POWER PIERCE MEANS Filed Aug. 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 1% hsa/af/b/i 2 I 5 3? 244 36 L Q 255 23a L 94 230 2.35 #26 26 L W /0 a INVENTOR.

fiobefif E McLean arroemsws.

United States Patent 3,277,570 ELECTRIC CAN OPENER WITH POWER PERCE NEANS Robert E. McLean, Raytown, Mo., assignor to Rival Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 386,948

8 Claims. (Cl. 30-4) This invention relates to power operated can openers and deals more particularly with improved means for reducing the reactive thrust force required for the penetration of the end of the can by the cutting element in can openers of the type wherein the cutting element is carried by and moved into and out of can cutting position by hand lever substantially pivoted to the body or frame of the can opener.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provi-de in a lever type can opener of the character described an economical, reliable and efificient mechanism which serves automatically to initiate feeding of the can with respect to the cutting element by energizing the drive motor as the cutting element is brought into pressure contact with the end of the can and before the end is actually pierced by the cutting element.

It is known by those skilled in the can opener art that piercing of the can end is greatly facilitated by providing for movement of the can during the time that piercing pressure is applied. Arrangements for accomplishing this in can openers where the cutting element is not carried by the pivotal hand lever are disclosed and claimed in the following U.S. Patents by way of example: 2,902,757, issued September 8, 1959; 3,018,548, issued January 30, 1962; and 3,078,568, issued February 26, 1963. The mechanisms disclosed and claimed in these patents all distinguish from the instant invention in that in the patented structures neither the feeding element nor the cutting element is directly mounted to a hand lever that in turn is substantially pivoted to the body or frame of the can opener, as is the case in the instant invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power pierce arrangement in simple, lever-type electrically powered can openers which lends itself particularly well to incorporation in a can opener wherein not only does the electric motor drive the can feed means but it also serves to power a cutlery grinding or sharpening wheel. While the instant invention operates to start the motor when a can is in the can opener it also provides a means by which the motor can be started, using the same hand lever, when no can is present. It is a feature of the invention in this respect that the same switch used for power pierce is employed in starting the motor when the unit is being employed for cutlery sharpening rather than opening cans.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views; FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper portion of a power operated can opener embodying the inventive subject matter, the operating parts and upper portion of the engaged can being shown in the relative positions assumed when the can piercing lever has been lowered to lightly engage the can between the feed wheel and cutting element;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the relative positions assumed by the parts and the engaged can after the can piercing lever has been further depressed as necessary to cause energization of the electric motor preparatory to piercing of the end of the can;

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FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows, the parts being shown in the positions corresponding to those of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the overall can opener unit, absent a protective casing and with certain parts broken away for purposes of illustration, the movable parts being shown in solid lines in the normal arrangement when no can is engaged;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows, the relative positions of the parts substantially those obtaining when the can opener is in the condition shown and described in connection with FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates a body or frame of a typical power operated can opener. This frame can be die cast as a unit or fabricated in any other desired manner. Generally speaking, the principal part of the frame comprises the vertical or upright front member 10a. In commercial practice this frame cooperates with an open front box-like casing (not shown), the frame usually forming the front wall and providing the support for the parts of the can opener. The case or housing may be of any suitable design or contour and inasmuch as it forms no part of the present invention and is not considered necessary to the understanding thereof, it is not shown.

The serrated or toothed rotary can feed wheel for the can opener is indicated at 11. This is located on the front side of frame member 10a and is secured to a feed wheel drive shaft 12 which extends through and is rotatably supported in an appropriate bearing aperture 10b at the base of a thickened rectangular section of the frame.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the motive power for the can feed wheel is supplied by an electric motor M which is mounted in any suitable fashion to the back of the frame. The armature shaft of the motor M is indicated at 13. It is drivingly connected with the feed wheel shaft 12 by means of a gear tran involvingthe gear 14 on the motor shaft, the larger gear 15 carried on a shaft 16 (also journaled on the frame), a further reduction gear 17, and the final drive gear 18 secured to the feed wheel drive shaft. Thus whenever the armature of the motor is rotating, the can feed wheel 11 will simultaneously rotate but at a much reduced rate of speed. At its rearward end, the armature shaft 13 of the motor carries the cutlery grinding wheel 19, which can be of any suitable composition, and cooling fan blades B are located on the shaft inboard of the wheel 19. The motor is controlled by a switch S, the details of which will later be described. The switch is in series in the circuit of the motor, being connected with the source of power and with the motor by conventional wiring W.

Returning now to the front side of the can opener and referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 20 indicates a pivotal hand lever which, as will be seen, serves to provide a movable support for the can cutting element and at the same time provides for starting and stopping the motor through operation of the motor switch S. The cutter element is in the form of a cutter wheel 21, which is mounted for free rotation in the usual stud or arbor (not shown) anchored in the lever 20 and held on the arbor by the screw 22.

The lever 20 has secured to it an elongate pin member assembly which, as best seen in FIG. 5, is made up of a forwardly or outwardly projecting cylindrical portion 23a (which, as will be seen, acts as a can guide), a polygonal nut-like intermediate head portion 23b, and a the outer face of nut 24 to insure against it being loosened on the threaded element 230. In lieu of providing a nut having integral sleeve and head portions as herein disclosed, it will be obvious that the cylindrical portion 24a could be a sleeve and a second independent nut could be substituted for the integral nut portion 24 to accomplish equivalent results The opening in the frame through which the assembly just described extends is indicated at 26. The opening is, in the illustrated embodiment, circular in form and it is substantially greater in diameter than the outside diameter of sleeve portion 24a. The opening 26 is formed in the back of a recess or cavity 27 cut into the thickened portion 10c of the frame from the front side thereof and which is normally shielded from view by the overlying portion of the lever 20.

Located in recess 27 and supported for limited pivotal movement is the link member 28. The link member is pivotally mounted to a stud 29 embedded in the frame and projecting into the recess 27. The lower or swinging end of the link is apertured to receive therethrough the sleeve portion 24a of the retaining nut. As shown, the stud 29 is preferably knurled and then press fitted into a suitable opening in the frame.

The numeral 30 designates a substantially U-shaped spring, the bias of which always urges the link 28 in a counterclockwise direction on stud 29 when viewed as in FIG. 3, or clockwise when viewed as in FIG. 6. As shown, one leg of the spring 30 is provided with a right angularly formed terminus 31 for engagement in a locking aperture 10d formed in the frame to maintain the spring in the desired location. It will be observed that the opposite leg of the spring seats against the edge of the link. Pivotal displacement of the link in either direc- .tion is limited, counterclockwise movement (as viewed in FIG. 3) being limited by engagement with portion 32 of the side wall of recess 27 and clockwise movement by inter-engagement between the sleeve portion 24a and the wall of the oversize opening 26 through which the sleeve extends.

The switch S is, as previously noted, located on the back side of the can opener frame member 10a, and comprises an electrically nonconductive base 33, which is carried by an L-shaped bracket 34, one leg of which is secured to the back of the frame by the screw 35. The non-conductive base 33 has mounted thereon the inclined and over- .lapping contact arms 36, 37. The arms are constructed of resilient electrically conductive material, and the outer end of arm 36 is normally free of contact with and spaced outwardly from the outer end of contact arm 37.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the arm 36 is positioned adjacent a disc 38 composed of non-conductive material which in turn is centrally apertured and fitted over the sleeve portion 24a of the assembly nut 24. The thickness of the disc'38 should be such that it is freely rotatable on the sleeve portion and is capable of free sliding movement with respect to the back of the frame from the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the broken line position in which it contacts and flexes the switch arm 36 into contact with the switch arm 37, thereby to close the circuit to the switch.

The hand lever 20 is provided at its upper edge with a rearwardly turned flange portion 20a which overlies the top edge of the basic frame structure 10. For purposes subsequently to be explained, an upwardly projecting boss 10e, preferably of semi-cylindrical configuration, is so located on the top of the frame as to underlie the flange portion 20a and provide a fulcrum point by means of which, through downward pressure on the outer end of the lever, the lever can be shifted to the position illustrated in the broken lines. The can lever also carries the resilient can guide 39, secured to the lever by the rivet 40. As seen in FIG. 7, the rearward portion of the can guide is integral with a flange 39a which extends through an opening in the lever and down the inside face, where it receives the rivet.

In describing the operation of the unit, it will be understood that whenever a can is not engaged in the can opener, the hand lever 20 will normally be in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, in which position the flange 20a is substantially parallel with the top of a table or other surface on which the unit is being used. When the lever is in this position the periphery of the cutter wheel 21 substantially overlaps that of the feed wheel 11.

To prepare the can opener for reception of a can to be opened, the user first lifts the free end of lever 20 upwardly to its extreme position, such upward movement being limited by a suitable stop which is conventional in nature and thus not shown. When in this position, the periphery of the cutter wheel will be sufliciently separated from the periphery of the feed wheel to permit insertion there- 'between of the rim or flange of the can. It is to be noted that during such upward movement of the free end of lever 20, the lever is actually pivoted to the frame 10 through the structure of the rearward projecting portion 23c of the can guide 2311, the cylindrical sleeve portions 24a of the nut 24 which is threaded thereon, and the link 28. During this preliminary ope-ration the lower end of the link 28 is yieldably maintained against the stop portion 32 of the recess by spring 30 (as shown in FIG. 6). At this time no rocking forces are being imposed upon the link.

The can is then positioned with its rim or flange 41 over the can feed wheel 11, but under the can guide 23a as seen in FIG. 1. The cutter wheel 21 will then be somewhat above the position illustrated in FIG. 1 (sufliciently above to permit free insertion of the can rim 41 between the peripheries of the cutter wheel and can feed wheel as previously stated) and the resilient can guide 39 will be somewhat above the upper edge of the rim of the can. The user then moves the free end of the lever 20 downwardly and presses it down just as far as it will go, which is substantially into the broken lines position of FIG. 4. During this downward movement, two separate actions take place. First, the edge of the cutter wheel is brought into firm engagement with the end 42 of the can and as downward pressure continues the motor is started. Secondly, after the motor is started, and with continued downward pressure, the can cutter wheel pierces into and through the end of the can and moves into overlapping relationship with the feed wheel while cutting continues.

During the first phase of operation, as described above, that is during the initial movement of the free end of the lever 20 downwardly, the periphery of the cutter wheel engages the end 42 of the can, and inasmuch as the rim 41 is firmly seated on the can feed wheel, the end 42 of the can becomes atemporary fulcrum for the lever acting through the cutter wheel 21. Accordingly, as the user continues pushing or pressing the free end of the lever downwardly the can guide 23a tends to move upwardly. Due to the angular inclination of the link 28 (as seen in FIG. 6) it will be obvious that the upward force, when imparted to the axis of the can guide 23a, causes the lower end of the link 28 to move to the right against the resilient bias of spring 30 as well as slightly upwardly until further movement is prevented by engagement of the sleeve portion 24a of the nut 24 with the boundary of the opening 26 (as seen in FIG. 3). During such movement the disc 38 will consequently be moved from the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 3, thus closing the contact arms 36 and 37 of the switch S and energizing the motor M. To accomplish all this requires application of but little force on the free end of the lever 20.

In FIG. 2, I have shown the position of the hand lever 20 and all parts mounted thereto after the free end thereof has been lowered sufiiciently to bring about the closed switch condition described above. At this stage (FIG. 2) the end of the can has not yet been pierced by the cutter wheel 21, however, due to energization of the motor the can is now being fed in respect to the cutter wheel 21 by rotation of the feed wheel 11. Continued downward force on the free end of the hand lever will cause the cutter wheel 21 to penetrate on through the end of the can, this penetration being greatly facilitated by the simultaneous advance or feeding of the can with respect to the cutter wheel.

So long as the free end of the lever 20 is maintained in the fully lowered position, all parts will continue in the positions shown in FIG. 3, and the switch S will remain in the on or contact closed condition, which is the condition that exists while the end is being severed from the can. The forces resulting from the engagement of the resilient can guide 39 and the can guide 23a with the can rim are sufficient to maintain the switch S in the on condition whenever the free end of the lever 20 is fully depressed. However, these forces are supplemented by the upward force imparted by the end of the can to the cutter wheel 21 through the resistance to shearing, and more particularly, by lateral force imparted to the cutter wheel by the end of the can as it resists shear by the cutter wheel while being fed by the feed wheel 11.

Whenever it is desired to utilize the motor to drive the cutlery grinding wheel, it is necessary only again to apply depressing pressure to the free end of the hand lever 20, as shown in FIG. 4-. The lever will, in this situation, pivot about the boss ltle, as illustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 4. In this case, the lateral motion of disc 38 to effect closing of the contacts of the switch S results from the pivotal action of the lever about the boss s, the lever itself pulling the link 28 upwardly and laterally. Of course, when downward force is withdrawn from the free end of the lever in this situation, the action of the spring 30 will again return all parts to the positions corresponding to those in which the switch S is returned to the off condition.

It is to be understood that the boss We is not used at any time in the cycle of opening a can, but that it also in no way interferes with the proper action of any other parts in the cycle of opening a can. It will thus be evident that the disclosed arrangement not only provides a most economical means for effecting supplemental operation of the motor for the purpose of grinding cutlery instead r of opening cans, but also provides full interchangeability of levers constructed as lever 20 between power operated can openers not provided with cutlery grinding means and those that are provided with cutlery grinding means of the nature disclosed. The preferred height of the boss like is such that when the axis of can guide 23a is in the extreme left position (as viewed in FIG. 3) the turned back flange 20a of the lever 20 will simultaneously seat on the boss and the extreme outer corner of the frame as shown in FIG. 4.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent in the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be inter preted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claimi 1. In an electrically powered can opener having a rotary feed wheel and an electric motor drivingly connected with said feed wheel, the combination therewith of a link member pivoted at one end for limited movement of its other end laterally toward and away from the axis of the feed wheel,

resilient means yieldably biasing said other end of said link member toward said axis,

a hand lever pivoted to said other end of said link member,

a cutter element mounted on said lever and so positioned thereon with respect to said feed wheel that pivotal movement of said lever brings said cutting element into and out of overlapping cutting relationship with said feed wheel, and

motor control means including switch means operable responsive to displacement of said link means away from said feed wheel axis by the reactive forces resulting as the can end is engaged by said cutting element to energize said motor prior to piercing of the can end by said cutting element.

2. The combination as in claim 1 including can guide means also mounted on said lever and operable to engage the rim of a can flange during movement of said cutting element toward cutting relationship with the feed wheel.

3. The combination as in claim 1 including stationary fulcrum means positioned in the path of said lever intermediate the ends thereof and providing a fulcrum axis for the lever independent of the can cutting element so that said link may be displaced and said motor energized without requiring the presence of a can.

4. In an electrically powered can opener having an upright frame, a feed wheel on the front of the frame mounted for rotation about a stationary horizontal axis substantially normal to the frame and an electric motor drivingly connected with said feed wheel and mounted on the rear of the frame, the combination therewith of a link member positioned to one side of said feed wheel, said link member located in a cavity on the front side of the frame and pivoted at one end for limited movement of its other end about an axis substantially parallel with the feed wheel axis between a normal position and a displaced position,

means resiliently biasing said link member toward and into its said normal position,

a hand lever member pivoted to said other end of said link member for movement about an axis parallel with the feed wheel axis,

a cutting element carried by said hand lever member and positioned to be moved thereby into and out of cutting relationship with said feed wheel,

a normally open switch carried on the back of said frame and in series with said motor, and

means carried by said link member and extending through an opening in said frame to the rear side thereof, said means including a switch operating member on the rear side of the frame operable to close said switch upon displacement of said link member from its normal to its displaced condition in response to piercing pressure of said cutting element against the end of a can.

5. The combination as in claim 4 wherein said resilient means comprises a U-shaped leaf spring anchored at one end in said cavity and extending around the pivoted end of said link and engaging said link member on the side opposite from the anchoring point.

6. The combination as in claim 4 wherein said link member pivot is at an elevation above the axis of the feed wheel and said other end of said link member is spaced in a generally horizontal sidewise direction from said feed Wheel.

7. The combination as in claim 6 wherein said normal position for said link member is closer to the feed wheel References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Rogers et a1. 304 Spielman' 304 Freeman et a1. 30-4 Posener.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

4. IN AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED CAN OPENER HAVING AN UPRIGHT FRAME, A FEED WHEEL ON THE FRONT OF THE FRAME MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A STATIONARY HORIZONTAL AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE FRAME AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTED WITH SAID FEED WHEEL AND MOUNTED ON THE REAR OF THE FRAME, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A LINK MEMBER POSITIONED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID FEED WHEEL, SAID LINK MEMBER LOCATED IN A CAVITY ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE FRAME AND PIVOTED AT ONE END FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT OF ITS OTHER END ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE FEED WHEEL AXIS BETWEEN A NORMAL POSITION AND A DISPLACED POSITION, MEANS RESILIENTLY BIASING SAID LINK MEMBER TOWARD AND INTO ITS SAID NORMAL POSITION, A HAND LEVER MEMBER PIVOTED TO SAID OTHER END OF SAID LINK MEMBER FOR MOVEMENTS ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL WITH THE FEED WHEEL AXIS, A CUTTING ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID HAND LEVER MEMBER AND POSITIONED TO BE MOVED THEREBY INTO AND OUT OF CUTTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FEED WHEEL, A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH CARRIED ON THE BACK OF SAID FRAME AND IN SERIES WITH SAID MOTOR, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LINK MEMBER AND EXTENDING THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID FRAME TO THE REAR SIDE THEREOF, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER ON THE REAR SIDE OF THE FRAME OPERABLE TO CLOSE SAID SWITCH UPON DISPLACEMENT OF SAID LINK MEMBER FROM ITS NORMAL TO ITS DISPLACED CONDITION IN RESPONSE TO PIERCING PRESSURE OF SAID CUTTING ELEMENT AGAINST THE END OF A CAN. 